Documentation in forum threads is a sure road to chaos.

I don't understand your complaint about updating wikis. At least with a wiki, you have a central location that is easy to find and update. But scattered through forum threads? No thanks.

Can you clarify what you mean by "governance"?

Which, quite rightly, points back here :-). Anyway, to answer the question there, I believe we'd have a lot of warning; and we're not at that point.

Good idea, but I think that is where the non-profit idea is useful. One of the problems with trying to have talks now is that there is nothing formal behind the community. For example, I've heard Quim suggest that Nokia can't transfer the domain name to the maemo.org because there is no formal entity to transfer it to. A valid point. And what do you do with the legal policies on the website? There are similar considerations for a lot of things. Being a non-profit is work to start and introduces some overhead, but it makes things easier, perhaps possible to do, and I think would greatly facilitate the talks you mention.

I actually expected that question from you.

I don't mean anything specific, offhand. I was being deliberately broad. Something to define of course IF such talks went forward.

Right, and exactly where partnering with an existing organization could be helpful.

Is anybody able to say what the roadmap for n900 users is?

Will there be a MeeGo release for the n900?
If not, what will become of Maemo?
As Nokia shifted its focus from Maemo to MeeGo, if MeeGo is not going to be available for the n900, and the community supports Maemo on the n900 into the future instead, will Nokia give them/us what we need to support it properly?
The shift to MeeGo, as I understand it, involved a shift from GTK to QT - and an SDK for QT on Maemo was made available to allow for app development across both platforms to be seamless. However, if support for MeeGo into the future is to be limited to one device this year - is there any benefit to n900 users in development work continuing with QT for Maemo? Would it be more straightforward to continue the work with GTK?
I recently installed Gnumeric, and I am full of admiration for the people who achieved this. This is one of the most significant breakthroughs for this device, as far as I am concerned. I am presuming that this was done using GTK, not QT, am I right? Might this open up a glimmer on the horizon that we might get to see something like AbiWord on the n900 one day? I love the idea of being able to use Open Office via Easy-Debian, but realistically, the traditional Gnome apps make much more sense on a device like the n900, as they are leaner.

I have had a look at QT on the laptop, although until I get a proper broadband connection, there is a limit to what I can do with my Debian PC. I am concerned that there appear to be several variants of QT - there is the one in the ubuntu repository, there is the one on TMO (which doesn't seem to install too well), there is the one hosted by Nokia, there is the one hosted by Intel, and there is the MeeGo one. Each one allows for the installation of different UX environments, depending on the area developing for - but it is not straightforward how one ends up with one installation of QT, and then adding different runtimes on top. Instead, what seems to happen is you end up with different installations of QT, and slight release variants.

Would it be easier, in looking at getting more involved with Maemo, to work with GTK? Personally, I am more interested in linux than mobile UX, and I'm really quite happy with Gnome - I have tried using KDE, but TBH I do think it is as **** as Windows. I'm a bit of a barbarian - I just want to be able to get at the apps I want to use, and don't give a damn about all the sexy graphics that sit between me and what I want to do.

Sorry, lots of assumptions, lots of questions, and lots of waffle - but I do like my n900, and I would like to get involved in working with people to keep it on the road as long as possible.

Thanks,

Mish

I have been reading up on starting an non-profit organization.. and it would need some real work and commitment. I have been looking on other potential countries than US and they all seam demanding more or less. But we could always go for a non non-profit structure... It will be more costly but it might not need as much paperwork.

If we decide upon US then we will need to file a EIN number and a 1023 form first and then the 503(c)3. Found a good site here that explains it.

Another way would be Google Checkout. They are similar.

Kickstarter might come in handy sometime.

Some of these things, such as having a budget, should be looked at regardless of an organization's structure. And including voluntary contributions when there is no history to use for guidance would be difficult I think.

A budget is not just something that you throw together. A budget needs management.. and an organization that lack that management will need those changes in order to be able to handle a budget. Or it could easily get out of hand.

And as maemo.org have not managed a budget before it will probably need some changes on how the organization works. I am not saying it will be big changes but still it is something that needs to be looked upon.

After the next Council are elected. I hope they take this as one of the subjects they handle on the constitutional meeting. The sooner the better.

I am not aware how the council is structured or how they do their meetings right now. But i am fore a formal and strict board kind of way. With punctual meeting times and where most of the subject are handled during those meetings. And that very little are decided outside of the board. Not just because it is more democratic but also because it minimizes the risk of grudges.

One way how to organize the board could be.

A work committee containing of three board members (normally the chairman, treasurer and secretary). Their work is to decide on urgent matters between meetings. And to prepare paperwork and subjects for the board meeting.

Different task committees (It could be temporarily or permanent). Their work is to handle a specific task that concerns the maemo.org. The size if these committees can vary. They prepare paperwork and subjects of their task to a board meeting.